The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-24
WILDERNESS REDEEMED.
OKEECHoBEE AND THE EVER
GLADES ALMOST IN SIGHT.


plished in Ten Months" Way Down"
IN the Peninsula of Florida, from Fort
Meade to Charlotte Harbor-Bowling
Green--A City in Labor Wauchula-
All About the Towns Strawberry
Culture-zolfo Springs Arcadia-A
Mining Town Senator Whidden-
Fort Ogden Carlton House-The Cat
tie King OF Florida-Interesting De-
tails of the Business.
The writer concludes his lengthy series of
letters descriptive of every portion of
Florida by a brief account of the region
below Fort Meade to the Gulf One year
ago this was literally terra incognita,
with but few and widely scattered settle
nlents, and only familiar to the ubiquitous
."cowboy." Now, thanks to the untirinc
enterprise of the Florida Southern Railroad
Company, which boldly pushed forward an
engineering corps into the untrodden in
terror, and, surmonnting all obstacles, never
paused until the steam whistle awoke the
silent echoes ON the Gulf shore, startling
change is everywhere noticeable And this
tue reader will be the better able to observe
ii he will board the train with us at Fort
Meade and proceed the entire length of the
line to Charlotte harbor The first stop is at
BOWLING GREEN,
which was in the throes of parturition ere
appearing full fledged upon the map as an
inchoate city of Florida. We found sur
veying party busily at work laying off the
the town seclnldent Grtem into lots and
squares and parks, making ample provision
in advance for city of magnificent dimen-
TD..i, SO s.,1- A<<, l,,I =
called into requisition, and the beauties and
attractions of the place set forth in glowing
colors. Nor was this all two stores and
several neat dwellings had arisen from the
expanse of pines and wire grass, one of the
former owned by Mr.. I. A. Mason, CARRYING
a heavy stock of goods. This gentleman is
the head centre OF the enterprise and speaks
in the highest terms of the adjacent coun-
try. The site is certainly high and salu-
brious and peculiarly adapted to those af-
fiicted with weak lungs
Passing Choconicta station we come next
to
WAUCHULA.
O thrifty town less than year old. but
rapidly increasing IN trade and population
The neighborhood is thickly peopled with
industrious farmers and fruit growers, and
it is worthy of record that they are self
sustaining, producing all the corn and pro-
visions they consume. Some have corn for
sale in considerable quantities The soil
resembles that about Fort Meade, and is the
very home of the orange. What better
proof OF this can be adduced than the fact
that no less than
FIFTY CARLOADS
carrying 2,250,000 oranges were shipped
from this depot the last season (which was
the first after the completion of the rail
road, and the quantity will be more than
f1.an laI I11l oc4- hon u
has population of $50, and contains seven
stores, one church, one school and a nice
hotel, the
SEWARD HOUSE,
kept by a very worthy family, where your
correspondent was most Hospitality enter
tanned. The following are the names of the
mercantile firms, all readers Of the MORN
ING NEWS:
General observation-disclosures & Spark
man, j. j. Altman, j. NJ. Cochran and N. o.
Mcconnell
Drugs-Southerland & Bro.
DIR. I. j. Maddox is Georgian and physi-
clan of much experience. DR.. J. Cohen has
been long identified with Florida and is an
enterprising citizen.
B. F. Wood is the efficient railroad and
express agent and telegraph operator.
As an illustration of the profits of straw
berry culture, Mr.. Peyton Burnett told the
writer that from half acre of ground he
had then sold $40 worth of berries, and the
total yield would certainly reach $780, In
addition, he has engaged 20, 900 plants at So
per thousand. This beats cotton to death.
PERSONAL.
Your correspondent is under many obi
cations to Mr.. Sparkman, of the extensive
mercantile firm of Simmons & Sparkman,
who own several large stores on the line of
road, for services rendered Mr.. S. is q ma
fiUa of (taOl.cria HIrt uip has
sided in this vicinity. His farm on Peace
river, is one of the most fertile and beauti-
full in the State. He has grown up with the
country, and is now an opulent merchant
and real estate owner beloved and respected
by all who know him. The name of this
post Office is English" but the inhabi-
tants will never surrender the euphoniouS
appellation Wauchula, bestowed upon their
town.
Mounting the train again. and speeding
along through a region of interminable
pines, interspersed with fiat prsiries, COW
cred with grass you halt at Zolfo Springs
after crossing Peace river, which is the
name of another embryo city just rising
from the plain, and not little jealous Of its
budding fame. The spring in question is a
sparkling sulphur fount flowing into the
river in pretty rill, and said to be highly
medicinal. But 'it's long story which
we cannot stop TO relate.
Another ten miles or whereabouts and the
train crosses the pellucid Charlie Apopka
creek, tributary of Peace river, and soon
a&ter halts again at
ARCADIA.
Here we leave it and seek lodgidgs at the
Arcadia House, a new and very neat hotel,
nicely kept by Mrs. C. J. Johasson. 1t is
, almost impossible to realize that this grow
ing little city, with its twelve business
houses, two church organizations, good
school, several industries, and population
of $50 souls, was all Sin the woods" a few
months ago. But such is the fact, and lots
in the business portion Of this erstwhile sol
itude rs feet by 172, readily sell for $500
New stores and residences are going up on
every side, and the outlook is flattcring in
deed. This arises from the fact that the
location is pleasant and healthy, and the
adjacent country contains much fertile land
peculiarly adapted to the growth of vege-
tables and tropical fruits There are two
orange groves inside of the corporation.
The writer received a cordial greeting from
MAI. u. +. BALDWIN,
who diligently represents the interests Of
his constituents, and is himself a large
dealer in hay, grain, etc To Mr.. T. j.
Pepper, also a live Savannah boy and real
estate owner, he is indebted for many at
tentions.
,u, at1H